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Show nlPp' ' J' In '0: , i i".! v- "" 7 ..V CHILDREN that are hearing-impaired at Aspen Elementary tried out their i; new hearing devices called "Com-Tek" last week. The devices, which help the fMg students to hear the teacher, were donated by United Way of Utah County. Willi; IP Deaf Children Receive Gift From United Way of Utah County By MARY COONS A unique gift, given by ie United Way of Utah ounty, was presented i the hearing-impaired lildren at Aspen lementary School this st week. The gift was a ireless system for the aring impaired. The system, called a jm-Tek, consists of a ansmitter which the acher wears, and iceivers, which the lildren wear. The S lildren can hear the acher weather she's in "' ie room or not, p orking up to 200 feet vay. j Kim Romano, the III acher for the deaf at spen, said that the Wing aid is of great dip to the children and r. She said that if they e playing out on the Playground, that they can hear her calling them to come in. She also said that it is of great aide in even teaching the profoundly deaf how sounds, "sound." She said that a representative from the company that manufactures the system brought some to the . school about a month ago. She said that they tried them out, and found them to be invaluable. in-valuable. Jack Holmes of The United Way of Utah County said that Connie Hansen of the Utah County Advocates for the Deaf got in touch with him of the need for the machines. He then said that the United Way contributed over $1,300 to acquire the four receivers and one transmitter. Janice Lassen, a parent involved in the project, said that their are 11 children in the program. She said that they have children from all over the county, including Lehi to Spanish Fork. She said that the program at Aspen is both an oral and sign language program. The wireless systems are a kind-of miniature walkie-talkie system. When they are put on, they increase the volume several times, making it loud to a normal-hearing person, but audible to the hearing-impaired. . .Mrs. Vea Lynn Jarvis.. said that her daughter, Heather, a sixth grader at Valley View has worn a unit for this school year, and her teacher wears a transmitter. She said that it has helped a great deal with her schoolwork, and saved them a lot of money in that they haven't had to pay an interpreter. Romano said that they now need a donation for the pouches that the children carry them around in, and for batteries, which need to be changed quite often. Dick Mecham, coordinator of special services in the district, said that he was really pleased with the contribution. con-tribution. He said that Holmes and the United Way.' fikd been,- "very ; cooperative," to work with and that the district appreciated the donation. |
